A Little Different
by ltravlt
Summary: Barney wants a change of pace. Gordon's not one to protest unduly.  This takes place after Half-Life 2 but before Episode One and assumes the two have been assisting Dr. Kleiner in his lab. M for language and sexual situations.


A Little Different

"So what's the name of this thing we're looking for?" asked Barney as he pried the lid off of yet another storage crate.

"Induction field stabilization coil," Gordon answered over the the buzz of the gravity gun. He was using it in the regular way for once, lifting the crates they'd already explored and putting them in order. Supply containers, the ones that they dug around in all the time, went on the lower level of Dr. Kleiner's lab. Boxes of scavenged equipment were arranged on the metal platform over their heads.

"Doc say why he wanted it?"

"Stabilize induction fields is my guess." Gordon's poker face was on, but Barney, being ass-end-up in a crate of electronics, missed it completely.

"You're a riot today Freeman," was the comeback, its wry tone tone in no way absorbed by the wood, "Oh hey, I've got something."

Gordon paused in his work to admire the way Barney filled out the bottom half of his CP uniform. "I'll say."

The ex-Metrocop straightened, saw the direction of Gordon's look, and smiled. "Well hello sailor." Then he held up a tightly-wound solenoid "This what we're looking for?"

"Almost. But the one we want has a bigger diameter."

"Huh." Barney's smile widened. He looked Gordon up and down The physicist had laid the gravity gun aside. He was leaning against an I-beam with arms crossed, wearing of his trademark looks that spoke volumes. "Imagine that."

Gordon's mouth turned up on one side, indicating that maybe he was.

"Penny for your thoughts."

"Sure you have enough on you?"

"Maybe not. But I bet I could ask for a loan." Barney took off his gloves and laid them on another crate, next to the crowbar he'd been using.

"You know," inside the frame of the goatee, Gordon's lips quirked, "you still owe me a beer."

"True," Barney came over to where Gordon was standing and watched as the younger man rubbed the back of his neck.

"But I was thinking we could strike some kind of a bargain."

Gordon tilted his head. "Yeah. I think I could accommodate you."

The quip went straight to Barney's groin. He reached over and took Gordon, all lean limbs and attitude, into his arms. The man's cock was already a hot ridge in his jeans and Barney shifted his hips as he moved against it.

"Guess the famed Freeman stamina isn't doing any worse," he breathed as Gordon embraced him too.

"Aw, you know that was all the HEV suit."

"Like hell," Barney said and kissed him.

It took just seconds for Gordon's mouth to open and a few more for to get into a rhythm. Barneyput a hand to the back of Gordon's neck, rubbing at the short hairs there, scraping with his nails as their tongues slid playfully around. Soon his hands drifted lower - down to Gordon's flanks and then his glutes. They flexed when he squeezed them.

Gordon, for his part, had his hands around Barney's shoulders, kneading them a little as their makeout session built. He wasn't shy about grinding his cock against the spot where his lover's was stirring and Barney bit off a moan, pressing his mouth into Gordon's shoulder.

"We should get back." Gordon breathed when they parted. Barney was still kissing the corner of his mouth and sucking at his bottom lip.

"I'm tired of just making out in our room. Place is so small I can hardly lay you out flat. "

"I don't know."

"Alyx is on watch, Doc's in bed for the night."

Barney slid a hand up under the thin sweater they'd managed to find Gordon and found skin that was always amazingly soft.

"Don't worry. Nobody ever comes in here this late."

"But -""Shh." Barney parted them, and turned Gordon around so he could rub himself into a certain tempting crease.

"Anyone ever tell you you talk too much?"Gordon tried to give his partner a frankly disbelieving stare, but being turned in the other direction made that hard. Harder, actually. And then teeth found that one spot on his neck. He breathed a low vowel into the room that was just a whisper. Barney heard though.

"Like that, huh?" He bent Gordon forward, over the crate, and hung onto his waistband so he could rock that ass against what was waiting for it. "Bet I could even -"

But an alien scream cut him off. Before Gordon could even think, he had the crowbar and was ready to join the fight. But the pale, beakless form of Dr. Kleiner's pet headcrab was all too familiar these days, especially when held struggling at arm's length.

"GodDAMN!" Barney swore as he held on. "You didn't tell me that thing was loose again!"

Though it wasn't easy, Freeman was able to get ahold of Lamarr before Barney did anything violent and stow her back in her cage. She seemed put out, thumping against it and warbling sadly. Barney, on the other hand, was panting like he'd just run ten blocks from just as many striders.

"You okay?" Gordon put a steadying hand on the other man's shoulder.

"I'll live. But damn, that thing's cockblocking me too now?

Freeman shrugged. "You always were her favorite."

"Oh, don't start," Barney said peevishly but then had to laugh when he saw Gordon's face. "All right, all right. Jeez, I just wanted something a little different, but not you." He thumped on Lamarr's cage a couple of times and she made the most submissive sound either of them had ever heard.

But Barney just sighed and turned back to his boyfriend. "Anyway, it's late. Lumpy mattress back in our room suit you?"

Gordon, saying nothing, just took Barney's hand and started to guide them back.

"And quit thinking 'I told you so'!"


End file.
